Creatures of Nightmares

Chapter 13

“Hurry up, Apollo.”

“Yes, sorry.”

Apollo followed Shadow down a long hallway, streaked with gold and red. They passed many doors.

Apollo’s main coat color was a dull tan, and he had spots of orange, dark brown, and black on his back. His eyes were a soft blue.

Shadow still looked horrific as ever. Scars, evil red eyes, and he was larger than other wolves. He looked the same as usual.

They got all the way to another door, and Shadow opened it.

Many wolves were sitting behind a stage. They were warriors who followed Shadow. Apollo even saw the hyenaedons from Astra’s pack.

“Hello, my dear wolves,” Shadow said. “I am delighted that you finally realized this is the good side of the battle. After all, because of me, now we are never bothered by any Yutyrannus.”

Apollo stood tall. He knew if he didn’t while this gathering was happening, Shadow would be angry after.

“Unfortunately, the hunt for our little wolf friend has not worked. I have even seen a few deer wandering. You all are not keeping your end of the deal.”

A brown wolf in the audience spoke up. “Shadow, we are quite tired from all of this.”

Shadow huffed. “You will call me Lord Shadow. Come up here.”

The wolf climbed up the stage. “So you will give us more time to rest?”

“Something like that,” Shadow replied and used his claws to slit the wolf’s throat, but just barely so his death wasn’t immediate.

“Take the dying wolf away,” Shadow hissed. “I bet he’ll enjoy his never-ending rest.” A few guards did the job.

Shadow continued to speak to the crowd as Apollo’s mind wandered. His next plan was to lead Astra to where the snow biome creatures were held.

When the gathering ended, Apollo bounded down the hall to his room. He closed the door, laid down, and closed his eyes.

“Astra..” he whispered.

Black swirls appeared on his back and sides. Black tiny stars surrounded him. The ground seemed to melt and become black. So did the walls of his room.

He was consumed in the black, concealed.

“Astra..” he whispered again.

“You’ve been gone for multiple hours,” Astra said. He looked at her white face and blue eyes.

“I know. I wasn’t planning on it.”

And Astra got right to the point.

“Why are you with Shadow if you’re trying to help me?”

“Astra, I can explain-“

“You can’t be helping me if you’re with him!”

“Astra! I can’t help it! He’s my father!”

She was silent.

Apollo stopped concealing himself. “I’m sorry.”

He held his head low. Astra hissed.

“Just leave me alone!”

Apollo stopped the connection. Astra wouldn’t listen to him anymore. He held his head low. “I ruined everything,” he muttered.

Shadow was walking past his door.

“It was stupid of me to ever talk to her,” Apollo huffed.

Shadow gave a soft snarl.

He banged his son’s door.

Apollo flattened his ears. -Oh no..-

Shadow broke the door. “My son, a traitor.” Shadow slapped his son and drew blood.

Apollo whimpered. The soon to be scar ran across his left eye, and went all the way down his snout. Blood splattered on the floor.

Shadow kicked him. And slapped him again. Apollo coughed up blood.

Shadow picked up his soon by the neck and stormed down to the dungeon, where the mammoths and deer were. He tossed him in. Apollo let out a groan.

“That should teach you,” Shadow hissed and closed the dungeon door.

Apollo groaned in the darkness.

###

When Astra finally woke up, she was alone. All alone. She saw blood on the snow, and Pax and Prince’s paw prints (lol alliteration).

Astra wasn’t sure what had happened. It seemed as if Prince and Pax had left her. So she left too.

As she walked, she was thinking of Apollo. -What a liar..- she thought to herself.

But she couldn’t understand why he would help her at first. Many she was wrong. Maybe.. maybe he was good. When she had spoken with him, she had learned important information. Was he really a good guy?

###

Apollo laid there in the darkness. Tears rolled down his face.

But then, his black swirls appeared on his sides and back. He wasn’t activating his power, though. He was enveloped in darkness.

With a wince of pain, he stood. “Astra..” he whispered.

“I trust you. I’m sorry.” She said. “Now, it would help if you knew where the animals were being held. We ought to rescue them.”

Apollo grinned. “I suppose I could arrange that.”

lol me doing like chapters 11-13 today.

-DiploLover24